Connector for containers and package



P 5, 1967 Y J. P. HAMILTON 3,339,725

CONNECTOR FOR CONTAINERS AND PACKAGE Filed Fe 25, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOSEPH PORTOLA HAM/LTON 7Z4 IIWMZM ATTORNEYS Sept. 5, 1967 J. P. HAMILTON 3,339,725

CONNECTOR FOR CONTAINERS AND PACKAGE Filed Feb. 25,. 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOSEPH PORTOLA HAM/L TON BY @5 My 9 M;

ATTORNEYS Sept. 5, 1967 J. P. HAMILTON CONNECTOR FOR CONTAINERS AND PACKAGE Filed Feb. 25, 1965 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 m T N E V W JOSEPH P01? TOLA HAM/L TON United States Patent Gil-ice 3,339,725 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 3,339,725 CONNECTOR FOR CONTAINERS AND PACKAGE Joseph Portola Hamilton, 1006 47th St., Emeryville, Calif. 94608 Filed Feb. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 435,188 13 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A connector having a central portion adapted to extend across the top of a pair of axially aligned superposed containers having beads at their upper ends, and terminal end portions on said connector joined to said central portion foldable to opposed relation for extending down the opposite sides of such pair of containers to a distance below the beads on the lower container, and which terminal end portions have means movable into holding engagement with said last-mentioned beads to hold said pair of containers together against separation.

This invention relates to a connector for containers and to a package of containers connected thereby.

In the examle illustrated and described hereafter, the containers are of the type generally known in the trade as two-piece, paper construction, nested round. The closure or top wall constitutes one of the two pieces, and the receptacle itself the other piece. The closure is normally a circular disc, the edges of which are adapted to be snapped into an annular, radially inwardly opening recess formed in the sidewalls of the receptacle spaced below an axially and radially outwardly projecting head around the upper edge of the sidewalls of the receptacle. The sidewalls are round or circular in horizontal crosssectional contour and the lower end of the receptacle is of a lesser diameter than the upper end. Hence an adjacent superposed pair of the receptacles will nest one within the other, or when the closures are secured in place, the lower end of the upper receptacles of each such pair will be supported on the closure of the receptacles therebelow and within the aforesaid bead on the lower receptacle.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of improved means for securing a plurality of containers of the above general type together, and which means is economical to make and to apply and provides a rigid,

unitary package in a position connecting the containers- Another object of the invention is the provision of a connector for connecting superposed containers of the general type hereinbefore described, which connector is of a construction, and manner of application, that particularly lends itself to fast and accurate application to the containers, by machine, and when the connector is in container-connecting position, it provides a strong, rigid package.

An added object of the invention is the provision of a connector for an adjacent pair of superposed containers of the general type hereinbefore described, that provides a cover for the uppermost container to protect the recessed upper end portion thereof against collecting dust or impurities, yet is easily and quickly applied to the containers for securely holding them together as a unit, and quickly disconnected for separating the containers.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in the drawings.

In the drawings FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank forming the connector, and disposed on top of the upper container of a pair thereof preparatory to folding the connect-or to a position connecting said pair, the outline of the upper edge or bead on the container being indicated in broken line.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing the connector of FIG. 1 in a position connecting a pair of superposed containers to form a package.

FIG. 3 is a part sectional, part elevational view of the package of FIG. 2 as seen from a position at a right angle to the view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3a is a greatly enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view through one of the sides of the upper and lower containers and a portion of the connector taken along line 3a3a of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a blank connector for con necting a plurality of pairs of superposed containers in side-by-side relation, which connector embodies the invention shown in FIGS. 13.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a package of containers connected by the connector shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, part elevational and part sectional view of a portion of the package shown in FIG. 5 taken at a right angle to the view of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a reduced size top plan view, similar to that of FIG. 1 showing a blank that is a modification of the blank of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of a package formed by use of the connector of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken through one side of a package and the lock provided by the connector of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an end elevational view of the containers of FIGS. 7, 8 and a connector illustrating how the package may be assembled.

FIG. 11 is a reduced size plan view, similar to that of FIG. 4 showing a blank for a connector that has structure shown in FIG. 7 but for several stacks of containers instead of one.

FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of a package formed by use of the connector of FIG. 9.

In detail, the connector of FIGS. 1-3 comprises an elongated flat sheet, or strip of cardboard or the like, generally designated 1. Said sheet is formed with a pair of longitudinally aligned folding creases 2, and with a second pair of corresponding folding creases 3. Said pairs of folding creases 2, 3 respectively extend along spaced, parallel fold lines that are normal to the length of the sheet, and that are spaced equally from opposite ends of the latter, and the creases of each pair extend toward each other from two opposite edges of said sheet. The adjacent ends of each pair of folding creases terminate at points equally spaced from and at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the blank. Said blank is preferably symmetrical at opposite sides of said axis.

The pair of fold lines along which said pairs of folding creases are positioned, divide the blank into a central section 4, and opposite end extensions 5, 6 of equal length, the latter being foldably joined to the central section along said fold lines. Said end extensions 5, 6 are downwardly foldable along said fold lines to positions at opposite sides of the adjacent pair of superposed containers and past the bead of the container below and adjacent to the upper container.

Extending between the adjacent ends of creases 2 is a straight slit 7 that-is parallel to the fold line on which said creases are disposed, and a corresponding slit 8 extends between the adjacent ends of the creases 3. Slits 7, 8 are respectively offset laterally relative to the fold line adjacent thereto into the adjoining extension 5 or 6 as the case may be. Arcuately extending relatively short end slits 9 connect the ends of slit 7 with the adjacent ends of folding creases 2, and similar end slits 10 connect the ends of slit 8 with the adjacent ends of the folding creases 3.

The adjacent ends of creases 2 are spaced apart a substantial distance, therefore the slits 7, 9 define the edges of a relatively narrow tab 13 extending parallel with the fold line along which said folding creases 2 are disposed, While slits 8, 10 define the edges of a tab 14 of corresponding length and width along the other fold'line that is between section 4 and extension 6.

In the strip 1 shown in FIG. 1 the opposite end portions at opposite sides of a central line that is normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip, or sheet, are symmetrical, and the side edges 11 extend convergently from said central line to the opposite end edges 12 of saidextensions. The strip 1 has its maxi-mum width along said last mentioned central line, which width is approximately equal to the outside diameter of the head on the upper container. Said end edges are of substantial width with rounded corners connecting them at their ends with the side edges 11 at the convergent ends of the latter.

The distance between the elongated slits 7, 8 is preferably substantially equal to the maximum width of said strip, and the end slits 9 are approximately equal to the vertical thickness of the bead on the container that supports the central portion 4;

The outer ends of the end extensions 5, 6 are each formed with an elongated tab 15 spaced within each'extension. These tabs are identical, and lengthwise are parallel with tabs 13, 14 and equally spaced from the latter. They are integral with the extensions 5, 6 along the longitudinally extending portion of each tab nearest to tabs 13, 14 and the opposite longitudinally extending edges are along straight elongated slits 16 that defined said edges, which slits are respectively parallel with slits 7, 8.

At opposite ends of each slit 16 are slits 17 that extend toward the adjacent end edge 12 of the end'extension of the connector in which saidslits are respectively formed, and then away from each other and back generally toward the central section 4 to provide a pair of lobes 19 projecting from the outer corners of each tab 15 in a direction-generally away from said centralsection 4, or toward the adjacent end edge 12.

The distance from the. slits 16 to the fold lines on which creases 2, 3 are positioned is approximately equal to the distance between the underside ofthe bead on the lower container of a pair in superposed relation when .the.

central portion 4 of the sheet 1 is supported on the bead of the upper container.

Referring to the package of FIGS. 13, wherein one pair of superposed, coaxial containers 20, 21 is disclosed, there is nothing new about the containers themselves. In the trade, containers of the type illustrated are identified as containers, and the distinction between them and those more vertically elongated and used for liquids, is that the latter are called cups. Otherwise. they are of the two-piece paper construction, nested round type. It is to be understood that the use of the word container in the present description includes cups, and any material and construction thereof to which the invention is applicable.

The upper container 29 has an axially and radially out.- wardly projecting annular bead.24 (FIGS..2, 3.) around the upper edge of its sidewalls 25, which sidewalls are round or circular in horizontal cross-sectional contour and are slanted inwardly toward the vertical axis of the container in a downward direction. Said sidewalls are formed to provide a radially inwardly opening circular recess 26. (FIG. 3) spaced below the head 24 into which the outer edge of a circular disc-like closure 27 is adapted to'snap and'to be frictionally heldupon downward movement of the closure into the upper open end of the container. Each container has a bottom wall 22 (FIG. 3a).

The lower container 21 is of the same construction as container 26, having an upper bead 28, sidewalls 29, recess 30 and a disc-like closure 31 frictionally held in the latter (FIGS. 3, 3a).

By the above construction, the upper marginal portion 34' (FIG. 3a) of the sidewalls 29 and closure31 cooperate to define an upwardly opening recess having closure 31 as the bottom thereof, and on which closure the lower, re duced diameter end of the upper container 20 is seated, leaving a space 35 (FIG. 311) between the marginal portion 34 and the lateral outer surface of the lower end of upper container 20;

In FIG. 1 the blank is shown on top of container 21, the broken line 36indicatingthe outside outline of the bead 24.

Upon bending the end extensions 5, 6, downwardly, the blank will'bend along folding-creases 2', 3. Flaps 13, 14 will remain coplanar with the central portion 4 and will still extend over the bead 24. By extending the side edges 11 of the blank convergently toward opposite ends of the blank andlhaving themaximum' width of the blank substantially equal to the outside diameter of bead 24, packages of the containers maybe readily packed in side-byside. relation without interference between connectors.

When extensions 5, dare bent downwardly the slits 16- willbe approximatelyopposite to the bead-28 of thelower container and about level with the lower portion of the bead, and the tabs 15 including'lobes 19 will be sprung over the bead 28 to positions in space 35 (FIG. 3a while the portions 37 between slits 15,.16and the end edges 12 of the extensions will be yieldably held against the outer surface of the-.lowercontainer. 21 along the annular outward projection of. the portion 38 formed as a-result of the formation of recess 30. The portions 37 will be bowed under the tension of the tabs15 to follow the circular contour of thesides ofcontainer 21 so that asubstantial length of the upper edges ofsaid portions 37 will be yieldably held below the .bead 28' in the position shown in FIG. 3a, so that the lower. container. 21' will be positively held together with the upper container. .It should be noted that the lobes 1'9 (FIG. 3a) engage the radially inwardly facing surfaces of the upper marginal portion 34 of the lower container at points approximately opposite tothe ends of portions 37, and project downwardly within'space 35 to pointscloser to the closure 31- thanthe intermediate port on between said tabs. Inasmuch as the said marginal portrons incline inwardly in a downward direction, the .greatest tension on the tab 15against thev bead will .be at the ends of the latter. where the curved edges 17 will engage the bead 28 while the head will project through the opening formed'between the edges of the extensions 5, 6 along the slits 16'. Thus the connector will'be centeredvrelative to the containers as well as the latter beingconnected and held together by the connector.

The central section 4 not: only functions to cover the uppermost container,. but provides space for printing. Also the panels comprising extensions 5,.6 provide attracttve space fordisplay material,- while two opposite sides of each container arewholly unobstructed for viewing the contalners and printing on the; latter..The fact that the two horizontal dimensions of the package at right angles to each other, i.e., transversely of the connector andtransversely thereof are no greaterthan the maximum outside diameters of beads 24, 28 enables exactly the same number. of horizontal rows of packages to be packed in cases of the same size as where the containers above are packed. In the present instance, however, there is the advantage of the individual containers being held against shifting relative to each other and the likelihood of chime lock or the locking of one container relative to the other so their heads overlie each other, has beenfound to be negligible as'compared to this occurrence where'the containers are not held together in packages. Furthermore in the stacking of packages'formed by use of the present connectors, in which the lower containers of upper packages are supported on the central sections 4 of the lower packages, the connectors on the lower packages'will tend to be even more tightly held to the containers of the lower packages.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 clearly illustrate how the invention as disclosed in FIGS. 1-3 may beexpandedto form packages having a plurality of pairs of containers, either in one stack or in adjacent pairs of stacks.

The connector, generally designated 40, for example, is twice the width of the connector 1 having a central section 41 that is adapted to extend over a pair of containers 42, in side-by-sid-e relation, each being identical to containers 20, and extensions 43 are twice the width of extensions 5, 6.

Folding creases 44, 45 are on the fold lines that divide the blank into the central portion 41 and end portions 43. Tabs 46 along the fold line of creases 44 and tabs 47 along the other fold line are respectively identical to tabs 13, 14 of FIG. 1 and function in the same manner.

Each half of blank 40 at opposite sides of a center line 'bisecting it transversely of the folding creases is formed with a tab 48 identical to tabs 15 and in the same position relative to the fold lines, and in addition each of said halves is formed with another tab 49 identical with tab 48 spaced from the tab 48 that is adjacent thereto a dis tance substantially equal to the distance between slits 7, 15 or 8, 16. These tabs 48, 49 function in exactly the same manner as tabs 15, 16.

By the above structure the tabs 48 will hold a container 50 (FIGS. 5, 6) below containers 42 in the same manner as the single container 21 is held below container 20, and tabs 49 will hold containers 51 below containers 50 in the same manner.

If the package is to contain only four containers, the outer ends of the extension 43 could terminate along lines intermediate the tabs 48, 49. If a three-pack package is desired, a connector of only one-half the width of the connector 40 would be necessary, in which each connector would be substantially the same as connector 1, but with the added tabs 49 thereon.

Obviously the connectors may be formed to connect any number of stacks of containers or stacks having any number of containers therein, by widening the connection lengthwise of the folding creases or lengthening it in a direction normal to said creases.

The containers themselves may be of any size, and

height, as long as they substantially include the structure of the ones illustrated.

Separation of the containers from the connector, or vice versa, is readily accomplished by pulling one of the extensions outwardly, relative to the containers, which requires a positive, intentional act. Otherwise the package will remain intact with the superposed containers of each adjacent pair in axial alignment with each other.

As has been stated, each connector preferably extends over the top wall 31 of each container, however each lid or cover 31 in conventional containers usually has a lift tab 32 projecting vertically upwardly for grasping between the fingers of a hand for pulling upwardly to remove the cover, and therefore the width of the central portion of each connector at a right angle to the fold lines of said connector, and that extends through the axis or axes of the containers, is sufficiently narrow to permit the tabs 32 to project upwardly past the opposite edges of each connector.

The modifications of the invention as disclosed in FIGS. 7-l2 go to structure providing a more positive connection between the elements of the respective packages, in one respect, than where the connectors of FIGS. 1-6 are used.

Inasmuch as each of the containers in the present instance is identical with the respective containers of FIGS. 13a, the same numbers will be used to identify the containers and their elements.

The blank of FIG. 7 is generally designated 55 and is formed with a pair of tabs 56, 57 that are respectively identical to tabs 13, 14 of FIG. 2, and are formed in exactly the same manner as tabs 13, 14.

Folding creases 58 respectively extend from the ends of tabs 56 to the nearest side edge of the blank 55. These side edges are numbered 59.

Folding creases 60 respectively extend from the ends of tabs 59 to the nearest side edge 59.

These folding creases extend from exactly the same points at the ends of tabs 56, '57 as creases 2, 3 of FIG. I extend from tabs 13, 14, but instead of being parallel, the pair of folding scores or creases 58, 60 at the corresponding ends of the pair of tabs 56, 57 extend corresponding relative to each other to the nearest side edge 59.

The pairs of folding scores or creases 58, 60 are substantially along parallel fold lines, that divide the blank into a central portion 63, and opposite end extensions 64, 65 that substantially correspond to central section 4 and end extensions 5, 6 of FIG. 1 except for the convergence of the pairs of folding creases 58, 60.

Extensions 64, 65 have tabs 66 formed therein that correspond in position and length to tabs 15 in FIG. 1. A slit 67 defines the edge of each tab that extends transversely of the blank and the pair of end slits 68 at opposite ends of each slit 67 extend divergently relative to each generally toward the center section 63 of the blank, hence no lobes are formed on tabs 66 as in the case of tabs 15 of FIG. 1.

The tabs 56, 57 function the same as tabs 13, 14 and the tabs 66 function the same as tabs 15 except, as stated, there are no lobes, hence these tabs 66 are more readily positioned in locking relation to the lower container 21 of the pair 20, 21, the latter being uppermost in the same position as the containers appear in FIG. 2.

One way of forming the package, apart from springing the tabs 66 over the upper beads 28 of the lower container, is to position container 20 slightly spaced above the other and coaxial therewith so that the end marginal portions 70 will engage the outer surfaces of the head 28 when the end extensions 64, 65 are swung downwardly to the position diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 12 and then pushing the tabs 66 inwardly, as indicated by horizontal arrows in FIG. 10, toward each other so that the tabs will move into the space between the upper marginal portion of the lower container 21 and the upper container 20 when the upper container and the connector as a unit, are moved downwardly, as indicated by the vertical arrow. As soon as the lower marginal portions 70 clear the bead 28 in said downward movement, said marginal portion will snap below head 28 to the position shown in FIG. 9 and upon release of the pressure on tabs 66 the latter will react against the inner surface thereof to yieldably hold the marginal portions 70 below the head 28. The same method could be used with respect to the invention as disclosed in all of the drawings. Obviously, the lower container may be elevated while the upper one is held stationary in the position shown in FIG. 10 to accomplish the same result.

The main advantage of the angularly extending folding creases or scores 58, 60 is that upon swinging the extensions downwardly to locking position the extensions Will-automatically curve around the sides of the containers to a substantially greater distance than in the case of FIGS. 1-6, thereby having a greater length of the portion 10 below each tab 66 in engagement with the underside of bead 28.

Referring to FIGS. 11, 12 the blank is generally designated 73 in FIG. 11. This blank is for connecting a pair of stacks of containers in side by side relation, hence its width is double that of the blank 55, and the structure of FIG. 7 with respect to the tabs 56, 57, 66 and other portions of FIG. 7 are duplicated, except that straight, parallel folding creases or scores 74 extend between the adjacent pairs of tabs 75, 76 that respectively correspond to tabs 56, 57. The pair of fol-ding creases 77, 78 each of the side edges 79 of the blank extend convergently outwardly to each such edge exactly as in the case of the folding creases or scores 58, 60 of FIG. 7.

The central portion of the connector of FIG. 11 between the folding creases 74 is designated 80 and the end 7 extensions- 81, 82. The connector 73 may be' applied in substantially the same manner as described in connection with FIGS. 7-10 and when so applied'they will assume a sinuous curve as seen in FIG. 11 and will follow the curvature of the sides of the lower container of each pair as in FIG. 8. The fact that the folding creases 74 are parallel does not diminish the curvature. Hence the advantages of the angularly extending folding creases.

77, 78 are maintained. The tabs corresponding to tabs 66 of FIG. 1 are designated 66'.

It is, of course, pertinent to note that in the present structure shown in FIGS. 1-12 there are no slots that require stripping, since the only slots that are ultimately formed are the result of folding the blanks to provide openings for the beads on the uppermost containers, or the result of springing the tabs in the extensions inwardly to locking relation relative to the beads in the lower containers.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modifications to adapt it to different conditions, and accordingly it is desired to comprehendsuch modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

- I claim:

1. A connector for securing together a pair of axially aligned containers in superposed relation each of the type having downwardly and inwardly slanted sidewalls with a radially outwardly projecting bead at its upper edge and a top closure spaced below said'bead'and with the lower end of the upper container of said pai-r supported on the top closure of the lower container and spaced wtihin the bead of the latter, said connector comprising:

(a) a single elongated cardboard blank formed'with a pair of spaced similarly extending fold lines extending transversely thereac-ross dividing said-blank into a central section and terminal end extensions projecting oppositely therefrom and foldably joined thereto along said fold lines;

(b) said extensions being swingable downwardly from positions planar with said central section along said fold lines to opposed relation at opposite sides of such pair of containers, and saidextensions being of lengths to extend downwardly'past the head on the lower container of said pair and to terminate in free downwardly facing edges below said lastmentioned bead when said central section is supported horizontally on the bead of said upper container;

(c) bead engaging means integral with said extensions movable into holding engagement with the bead in said lower container when said extensions are in said opposed relation to each other with said central section supported on the beadof the upper container for holding such containers together one above the other in axial alignment against separation.

2. In a connector as defined in claim 1:

(d) said bead engagingmeans including a portion of each extension movable to positions below and substantially into engagement with the lowerside of the bead on the lower container of said pair, andsaid bead engaging means further including locking members respectively movable into yieldable engagement with said last mentioned bead when said portion is below the latter for yieldably holding saidportion below said head on the lower container.

3. In a connector as defined inzclaim 1:

(d) said'extensions including positioning means along said fold lines each en-gageable with the bead on said upper container at spaced points therearound for holding said central section and said upper container substantially coaxial when said bead engaging means is in holding relation to the bead on said lower container.

4; In a connector as defined in claim 1:

(d) said bead engaging means including separate portions of said extensions respectively adapted to extend below and in engagement with the bead on said lower container and against the radially inwardly facing surface of said last mentioned bead when said tral section is on said upper container and Whensaid extensions are swung to said opposed relation, and each extension having a portion along said free edge and outwardly thereof relative to said section, movable to a position below said last mentioned head when said free edge of each tab is so moved over said last mentioned bead and to said position between said bead and the lower portion of said upper containers. 6. A connector for securing together stacks of superposed containers that are in substantially engaging side by side relation, each stack including an upper container and a lower container, and each container being of thetype that is annular in horizontal cross sectional contour with downwardly and inwardly slanted sidewalls with a radially outwardly projecting head at the upper end and a horizontal closure spaced below said bead with the lower end of the upper container of each pair spaced within the upper end of the lower container and supported on the closure of the latter:

(a) a cardboard blank having a central section adaptedto extend over and to be supported on the upper container of said pair of containers;

(b) oppositely outwardly extending projections integral with said central section and coplanar therewith foldable at their junctures with said central section along generally similarly extending fold lines to downwardly extending spaced opposed relation at two opposite sides of said stacks, when said central section ison said stacks;

(c) spaced openings formed in said sheet along each of said junctures for receiving the beads on the upper containers of said stacks when said extensions are so folded to positions at opposite sides of said stacks;

(d) bead engaging means on said extensions movable to positions at opposite sides of the beads on said lower containers for holding said central section over said upper containers against upward movement of said central section when said extensions are in said position at opposite sides of said stacks, and for holding said extensions against lateral outward movement relative to said stacks.

7. In a connector as defined in claim 7:

(e) said sheet having two opposite side edges extend ing generally normal to said fold lines;

(f) parallel folding creases along each said fold lines formed in said sheet extending longitudinally of said fold lines and extending between the openings along each of said fold lines;

(g) a pair of folding creases extending divergently relative to each other from each of said side edges to the openings along said fol-d lines that are closest thereto whereby said extensions will be bowed intermed-iate said side edges to generally follow the circular cross sectional curvature.

8. A package comprising: i

(a) a pair of axially aligned, superposed, round containers each having a closure at its upper end and an annular bead projecting radially and axially outwardly of said closure and the upper container of said pair having its lower end supported on the closure of the lower container within the annular bead on said lower container;

(b) a connector having a central section extending across the upper end of the upper container of said pair and across and in engagement with the upper surface of the bead thereon;

(c) a pair of substantially planar terminal extensions integral with said central section extending vertically downwardly and across two opposite sides of said upper containers and into holding relation with the bead on the lower container of said pair and terminating in downwardly facing free edges below said last-mentioned bead;

(d) holding means integral with said extensions in said holding relation with said last mentioned bead.

9. A package comprising:

(a) a plurality of pairs of axially aligned, superposed,

round containers in side-by-si-de relation, each container having a closure at its upper end and an annular bead projecting radially and axially outwardly of said closure, and the upper container of each pair having its lower end supported on the closure of the container therebelow within the circular bead on the latter;

(b) a connector having a central section extending across and supported on the beads of the upper containers of said pairs;

(c) a pair of extensions integral with said central section extending vertically downwardly across the beads on the lower containers of said pairs;

((1) means integral with said extensions in holding relation to the beads on said lower containers positively holding said extensions against upward movement relative to said containers of said pairs, said extensions terminating at points spaced above the lower ends of said lower containers.

10. A connector for securing together a pair of axially aligned containers in superposed relation each of the type having sidewalls with a radially outwardly projecting bead at its upper edge and a top closure spaced below said head and with the lower end of the upper container of said pair supported on the lower container, said connector comprising:

(a) a single blank formed with a pair of spaced similarly extending fold lines dividing said blank into a central section and terminal end extensions of corresponding shape and size projecting oppositely therefrom and fold-ably joined thereto;

(b) said extensions being swingable from positions planar with said central section along said told lines to opposed relation of opposite sides of such pair of containers, and said extensions being of sufficient lengths to extend past the bead on one container of said pair and terminating in free, downwardly facing end edges below said last-mentioned head when said central section is supported horizontally on the other container;

() bead engaging means integral with said extensions movable into holding engagement with the bead on said one container when said extensions are in said opposed relation to each other with said central section supported on the end of the other container for holding such containers together against separation.

11. A connector for securing together a pair of axially aligned containers in superposed relation each of the type having downwardly and inwardly slanted sidewalls with a radially outwardly projecting bead at its upper edge and atop closure spaced below said bead and with the lower end of the upper container of said pair supported on the top closure of the lower container and spaced within the bead of the latter, said connector comprising:

(a) a single cardboard blank formed with a pair of spaced similarly extending fold lines dividing said blank into a central section and end extensions projecting oppositely therefrom and foldably joined thereto;

(b) said extensions being swingable downwardly from tral section supported on the bead of the upper container for holding such containers together against separation;

(d) said blank being an elongated, flat, planar strip having opposite side edges and a pair of folding creases adjacent to each of said side edges and the creases of each pair being along said fol-d lines and extending divergently relative to each other a relatively short distance from each of said side edges in a direction into said extensions for bowing each extension between said side edges when the latter are swung to said opposed relation for generally folding the curvature of the side walls of said containers;

) said central section being wider than said extensions and of a size and shape to fully extend over the upper end of said upper container including said bead.

12. A package comprising: (a) a pair of axially aligned, superposed, round con tainers each having a closure at its upper end and an annular bead projecting radially and axially ou-twardly of said closure and the upper container of said pair having its lower end supported on the closure of the lower container within the annular bead on said lower container;

(b) a connector having a central section extending across the upper end of the upper container of said pair and across and in engagement with the upper surface of the bead thereon;

) a pair of extensions integral with said central section extending vertically downwardly and across two opposite sides of said upper container and into holding relation with the bead on the lower container of said pair;

(d) holding means integral with said extensions in 13. A package comprising: (a) a pair of axially aligned, superposed, round containers each having a closure at its upper end and an annular bead projecting radially and axially outwardly of said closure and the upper container of said pair having its lower end supported on the closure of the lower containenwithin' the annular bead on said :lower: container; 7

(b): a connector having a central section extending across, thev upper endofi the upper: container: of said pair and across and in engagement with the: upper surface of the: bead thereon;

(c)-a pair of extensionsintegral-with. saidcentraLsection extending vertically downwardly; and across two oppositesides' of said-upper container andtinto holding relation with the bead on the lower: container of said pair;.

(d); holding means; integral with. said. extensions in said holding: relationwith saidlast mentionedlbead;

(e) said connector being formed from a single flat planar sheet of cardboardorthelike' folded along generally similarly extending lines at the junctures between said central section. and saidextensions;

(f) openings formed in said"connectoralong'said'junctures intowhich the bead'onthenpper'container of said pair radially projects relative'to'the'vertical axis ofsaid container-s;.

(g), openings formed in said'extensions into which the head on the lower container of said'pair project'lwith one portion of each of said extensions defining the lower sidev of each of said openings'therein being outsidesaid'lower container. and below saidbead thereon, and-the opposite side of each of said. last mentioned openings being within the said head on said lower container and in yieldable. engagement with the radiallyinner. side ofvsaid last mentioned head for yieldably holdingithe portion of said extensionbelow said head bowed against said lower container and adjacent to said last mentioned bead to follow the horizontal cross sectional contour of said lower container including the-curvature. of said last mentioned bead.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,537,615 '1/19'51 Arneson 220-413 X 2 84023 3- 6/1958 Grinspoon 206'65 2,986,271 5/ 1961 Forrer 20665 3,029,93 5 4/ 11962 Nolte: 20647 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

MART-HA IL. RICE, Examiner. 

1. A CONNECTOR FOR SECURING TOGETHER A PAIR OF AXIALLY ALIGNED CONTAINERS IN SUPERPOSED RELATION EACH OF THE TYPE HAVING DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY SLANTED SIDEWALLS WITH A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING BEAD AT ITS UPPER EDGE AND A TOP CLOSURE SPACED BELOW SAID BEAD AND WITH THE LOWER END OF THE UPPER CONTAINER OF SAID PAIR SUPPORTED ON THE TOP CLOSURE OF THE LOWER CONTAINER AND SPACED WITHIN THE BEAD OF THE LATTER, SAID CONNECTOR COMPRISING: (A) A SINGLE ELONGATED CARDBOARD BLANK FORMED WITH A PAIR OF SPACED SIMILARLY EXTENDING FOLD LINES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREACROSS DIVIDING SAID BLANK INTO A CENTRAL SECTION AND TERMINAL END EXTENSIONS PROJECTING OPPOSITELY THEREFROM AND FOLDABLY JOINED THERETO ALONG SAID FOLD LINES; (B) SAID EXTENSIONS BEING SWINGABLE DOWNWARDLY FROM POSITIONS PLANAR WITH SAID CENTRAL SECTION ALONG SAID FOLD LINES TO OPPOSED RELATION AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SUCH PAIR OF CONTAINERS, AND SAID EXTENSIONS BEING OF LENGTHS TO EXTEND DOWNWARDLY PAST THE BEAD ON THE LOWER CONTAINER OF SAID PAIR AND TO TERMINATE IN FREE DOWNWARDLY FACING EDGES BELOW SAID LASTMENTIONED BEAD WHEN SAID CENTRAL SECTION IS SUPPORTED HORIZONTALLY ON THE BEAD OF SAID UPPER CONTAINER; (C) BEAD ENGAGING MEANS INTEGRAL WITH SAID EXTENSIONS MOVABLE INTO HOLDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BEAD IN SAID LOWER CONTAINER WHEN SAID EXTENSIONS ARE IN SAID OPPOSED RELATION TO EACH OTHER WITH SAID CENTRAL SECTION SUPPORTED ON THE BEAD OF THE UPPER CONTAINER FOR HOLDING SUCH CONTAINERS TOGETHER ONE ABOVE THE OTHER IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT AGAINST SEPARATION. 